Like Clockwork: A Wizard Snapshot
by Len
Summary: The two of them were better than Soaps, a Muggle-born witch once commented.


Like Clockwork: A Wizard Snapshot  
By Len  
Rating: PG  
Category: R/H of course  
Setting: Hogwarts, 6th year.  
Summary: They were better than Soaps, one Muggle-born witch once said.  
Disclaimer: These characters and their personality quirks are all JKR's. Also - a nod must go out to George Lucas and his movie 'Radioland Murder'. I borrowed a bit from that... (:  
Notes: I luuuurve writing vignettes (also called 'snapshots' in the Due South world), and this one just popped out of my head, kicking and screaming. It's short, I know, but please let me know what you think! I'm still a beginner with the Harry Potter stuff, so this may be a little off....  
More Notes: Hmm...this was done a bit sooner than I thought. (:  
  
  
  
It was two weeks away from winter finals. Several students already had suffered abrupt panic attacks and were being treated by Miss Pomfrey, the others were busy burying themselves in weighty tomes and crumpled rolls of notes. The only sounds in the Gryffindor Common Room were the sounds of quill scratching on parchment, and the occasional sniffle.  
  
*Thunk*. The portrait hole leading in the room flew open and crashed against the wall. Curious and ready for a break, the studying Gryffindors looked up.  
  
"Will you stop? Just stop!"  
  
The bellow belonged to none other than Ron Weasley, who was rapidly becoming famous throughout the school for the sheer volume his voice was able to reach. It certainly seemed to shake the paintings on the walls.  
  
Or maybe that was just the portrait hole slamming shut again after Hermione Granger. Ron, being used to this sort of thing, managed to slip through the door before it cut him in half. He remained doggedly on the heels of his friend. "Hermione, listen to me!" he shouted.   
  
She spun, bushy hair spinning out around her head. "What's that, Ron? Listen to you? *Listen* to *you*?" Hermione walked up to him until they were nose to nose. Or nose to chest, rather. Ron was one of the tallest boys in Gryffindor House. She began jabbing a finger into the front of his robes. "Why should I? You never listen to me! It's always, 'You're such a know-it-all, Hermione', or 'Quit yapping and let me play Snap, Hermione'," she yelled back, doing a rather amusing imitation of his voice.  
  
"I don't!"  
  
"You do! And I've had enough!"  
  
"But - but -"  
  
"Oh, lovely comeback," Hermione said sarcastically. The audience held their collective breaths. Ron narrowed his eyes.  
  
"You're such a hypocrite!" he finally exploded, after sputtering for a few more seconds. "You have all this marvelous advice and you start steaming at the ears if I don't take it, but when *I* try to-"   
  
"That, Ronald Weasley, is because I care! I *have* to worry about you getting killed, or expelled, because *you* never seem to! Well, I'm sorry if that makes me a doddering old granny, but that's the way it is, so get used it!"  
  
The back of Ron's neck - visible only to a group of fourth years sitting on the stairs - was turning a little pink. The meaning of this reaction was unclear to them, but they were far too entertained to wonder much about it. These shouting matches occurred like clockwork, forcing the more faint-of-heart students into hiding for a few hours until the latest storm had passed. As one Muggle-born witch had pointed out: the Weekly Ron and Hermione Argument was even better than Soaps.   
  
"You care, huh? Well what about how much I care?" he bellowed, glaring. "You think I give a damn about some slimy little seventh year? No! I only mentioned him because I thought you should know what you're getting yourself into!"  
  
"I'm only tutoring him!" she yelled back. "It's not like we're going to run off to Spain and elope!"  
  
"Oh?" Ron seemed oddly cheered at this. "Fine. Good!" Ron cleared his throat, and continued in a more moderate tone. "Because he really is a bad sort. Watch your back around him, will you?"  
  
Hermione blinked, then smiled. The rapt audience around them began to breathe again. "If I don't," she said rather shyly, "I'm sure you'll watch it for me."  
  
Ron nodded decisively. "Bloody right."  
  
"Don't swear."  
  
"Right."  
  
And click. As if someone had flicked a Muggle eceltricity switch, the argument was over and all the tension fled the room. Ron and Hermione stepped back until there was a comfortable distance between them, grinning sheepishly.  
  
"Fancy a game of chess?" Ron asked pleasantly.   
  
"Only if the winner gets to play me in a game of 'Hogwarts Trivia'."  
  
"Deal." The chess pieces were set up. "By the way, Hermione - about that tutoring. I was thinking it might be a good idea if-"  
  
"Fine, Ron. But only if you stay at least three tables away until we're done with the session. And no threatening him. And no rude comments."  
  
"Hermione! I would never!"  
  
His brown-eyed friend let out a rather unladylike snort at this. Ron continued to mutter as he moved a pawn forward. "I just thought since I'll be doing homework in the library as well..."  
  
"It's fine, Ron." Hermione mirrored his move with her own piece. "And...you know...thanks."  
  
"Anytime," he replied, turning a little pink. He proceeded to trounce Hermione in chess once again, then she wiped the floor with him in Hogwarts Trivia, and all was again right with the world.  
  
Until the next week, at least.   
  
  
  
  
  
The End  
  
  
  
Review? 


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